The last Arizona Diamondbacks player left standing in the World Baseball Classic will be in the spotlight during the championship game, as Eduardo Rodriguez will start on the mound for Venezuela against the United States on Tuesday.
Venezuela came from behind to take down defending-champion Japan in the quarterfinal and overcame another early deficit to eliminate the Cinderella Italian squad on Monday. The United States outlasted the Dominican Republic in the semifinal, 2-1, winning a tense game that ended with a controversial strike three call on Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo.
Rodriguez will have faced the two most dangerous lineups in terms of major league talent in the WBC once the tournament is over, as he allowed three runs in 2.2 innings against the D.R. in pool play, including a home run to Arizona teammate Ketel Marte.
The Dominicans won the game and the group, but Venezuela advanced to the knockout stage as the pool’s runner-up and ran to the title game for the first time.
Getting the chance to pitch on Tuesday will thrust Rodriguez into a frenzied environment less than two weeks from Opening Day, a playoff game at the end of spring training. Rodriguez threw 53 pitches in his last outing.
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He will be the second Diamondbacks starter to take on this U.S. lineup in the WBC, as Michael Soroka allowed two earned runs in 2.2 frames for Canada in the quarterfinal round.
Rodriguez is entering his third season with the Diamondbacks after signing a four-year, $80 million contract. He has yet to live up to that deal (5.02 ERA), but he finished last season strong with a 2.80 ERA over his last six starts.
The Valencia, Venezuela, native entered camp looking to refine his curveball he felt made a difference down the stretch and to be in better shape than he started last season.
The U.S. lineup he will face is loaded with All-Stars, headlined by captain Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson and Bryce Harper. Corbin Carroll was supposed to be on the team, but a broken hamate meant he had to stay back in Arizona.
The United States is looking for its second WBC title, the first coming in 2017.
This is the sixth iteration of baseball’s most prominent international tournament.
The championship game is Tuesday night at 5 p.m. MST on FOX.
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